


Humanisms

by wacomintuos



Series: To be Human [2]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: (nobody is surprised), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Artificial Intelligence, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Character Study, Hux Has No Chill, Hux is Not Nice, Hux-centric, Kylo Ren Throws A Tantrum, M/M, hux is a droid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-19
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-06-03 05:45:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6599068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wacomintuos/pseuds/wacomintuos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>General Hux of the First Order is a droid created by Supreme Leader Snoke in an experiment to see if AI functions better than humans when in command. Kylo Ren doesn't approve, doesn't believe a simple piece of mechanics can hold sentience, but there's nothing he can say to stop Snoke from sending him to the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer, the Finalizer, on a mission to protect and watch over Hux. Much to Ren's chagrin, Hux is not a simple piece of mechanics. He's more complex than Kylo possibly could have imagined, and he also breaks more often than Kylo could have imagined. Both man and droid are in over their heads, and with Snoke curiously peering over their shoulders, they will have to don their respective masks and bear it.</p>
<p>Placed on indefinite hiatus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kylo Ren Appears On The Battlefield

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Ex Machina](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6443686) by [sual](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sual/pseuds/sual). 



> So, I am back with another life consuming fic!!!!! Ugh, sorry mum.
> 
> (By the way seriously go read Ex Machina it's an amazing fic and it gave me the idea for this!!! Also the movie of Ex Machina is great too.)

Hux opened his eyes. The Supreme Leader had informed him earlier that Lord Kylo Ren would be boarding his ship, and while he disliked guests at the best of the times, this was not exactly a command to be refused. After all, he had a fair idea of why Lord Ren would be staying, but that was another thing that wouldn't be wise to comment on.

He checked the time, five minutes to Ren's arrival. Everything needed to be perfect for his visitor, and as such he ran a standard scan across the flagship. And another. And then he reasoned that just one more couldn't possibly harm anyone.

After he was satisfied that everything was to his high standards, the general began the walk from his office to the bridge. Hux saw a few troopers gossiping as he passed, but didn't pay too much attention to it.

"Does the general ever sleep?" Whispered one in a hushed tone. Hux recognised this one, FN-2187; sanitary duties. One that he had personally threatened in the small hours in the morning due to the fact that this stormtrooper was not in his dorm when he was supposed to be asleep. Thinking on it now, Hux realised that he might have been a little harsh. The FN had only wanted a drink from the fountain. However, such thoughts were pointless, so the general disregarded it immediately.

"I heard that he makes a periodical whirring noise before shutting down," replied the other trooper. Hux almost snorted. If only they knew. Such rumours didn't bother him in the slightest- they really were just rumours. Nobody had any real idea about Hux, and this was only small talk of idiots.

He kept walking to the bridge to see that Lord Ren had arrived in what looked to be a new Upsilon-class command shuttle. Hux approved of this choice; it truly was a beautiful ship. A cloaked figure stepped out, looking around the bridge for the first time. The general truly hoped `that it met his expectations.

"Lord Ren, I am General Hux. It is a pleasure to make your aquantanc-" He paused suddenly when he saw Ren's face. Not a face, but a metal structure, and against his better judgement, he reached out in awe, cupping what resembled his cheek. "A-Are you one of... Us?"

Even without facial expressions, it was easy to see that Kylo Ren was angry, and it was surprising that he hesitated for a long while before grabbing Hux's wrist, wrenching it away from his face. He twisted hard, and the redhead grunted in pain as he turned, pulling at his glove to see the damage Ren had done.

It was most definitely broken. Hux saw metal piercing his skin and he scowled at Ren, quickly hiding his arm from view of anyone watching, including Ren himself. Hux reasoned that Kylo Ren was not to blame for this; it was his own stupidity that caused this. It didn't stop him from being bitter. If this action wasn't synonymous with "what are you talking about, I'm not a droid", then what was?

"My apologies, Kylo Ren. I understand your actions, and I find them to be justified."

"Whatever. Have an officer escort me to my room."

Whatever Hux had been expecting, it was not for Kylo Ren to exude an aura of discontent as he stormed past him, brusquely knocking into his shoulder. In his surprise, he was pushed to the ground, and he felt pathetic as he scrambled up, trying to follow this strange being clad in black robes. "Actually, I will be the one who brings you to your room! I hope you don't mind."

"Whatever," the distorted voice said again. "I suppose Leader Snoke will want me to repair your arm." Kylo Ren spoke in a tone that said, 'why do I get stuck with the icky jobs?'. Hux blinked at him.

"That would be helpful, yes. I take it you understand my situation?"

Ren looked at him. "You are a droid of an advanced model. Fully sentient and completely synthetic, if I am not mistaken. It's obvious from the colour of your hair." At this, Hux felt quite embarrassed. He'd meant to ask Snoke about changing it....

"I like my hair, thank you very much. As long as you can repair me, I will not complain." Hux indignantly looked to his side, nursing his arm. He decided he disliked Kylo Ren, something that would become well known in years to come.

"Fully sentient," Ren muttered disdainfully, clearly meant for the general's ears. Hux gave him a stern look.

"I'm sorry, do you have a problem? I am fully sentient, yes, and I am just as intelligent as you." He resisted the strong urge to say 'if not more'. That would be plainly unprofessional. Ren shook his head and kept walking. "Ah, here we are. This will be your room for the remainder of your stay. If you need anything, my rooms are three doors to the left, so I'll never be too far away."

"Why do you need rooms?" Ren asked. "I doubt you sleep."

Hux gave him an odd look. "Supreme Leader Snoke intends to keep up appearances for his experiment. I am shut off when I don't have work to do, and am hidden from view. Now, is there anything you need? Your room doesn't seem very well furnished."

"It is not your place to make comments on how I like my quarters. Come in and find somewhere to sit if you want to be repaired. I have... some knowledge on fixing droids, but it is not something I particularly have patience for." Ren nodded to the door, and so Hux took that as invitation and walked into the room. A small droid followed in his wake, with a modest bag of what could only be Ren's belongings. The general examined the droid, unfamiliar with the model. As if sensing Hux's curiosity, Kylo Ren spoke up. "I made it myself. I call it LR-5."

LR-5 chirped. Hux gave it a thin smile and it spun and moved into the corner, sitting there quietly. "What a quaint creation," he commented as he looked at it. Ren huffed dismissively as the door closed. Once he was certain that the room was secure, he pressed a button on his helmet and it clicked and hissed as the locking mechanism came apart and he pulled the metallic monstrosity away.

Hux was surprised at what he saw, but he didn't let it show. Ren ran his hands through a mop of messy ebony hair and looked at the red headed droid, showing pale skin and youthful features, his hazel eyes deep and melancholy. "I appreciate that, General."

Ren's lips were full and Hux found himself mesmerised by how they moved when he spoke. Most of his officers were physically unimpressive, and then the TIE fighter pilots and stormtroopers wore helmets, so he didn't often see beauty just by walking into one of the Finalizer's many meeting rooms. He wished Ren would keep speaking so that he could observe how he moved, but he was proving to be a man of little words.

As Ren moved towards his things to collect a small toolbox, General Hux asked him the first question that came to mind. "How old are you, Lord Ren?"

Ren appeared confused by this question. "Why?"

"I would like to know. I'd rather ask than access the mainframe and read your file."

"I won't appear on the mainframe. I'm 20. How old are you supposed to be?" Kylo Ren wasn't really paying attention to him, readying a sharp scalpel. He quickly dug into Hux's flesh and the general gasped in pain. "You feel that?"

"Yes, Ren, I do. At least allow me to shut down, or, or, or- something!"

Ren shook his head. "Endure it." He kept peeling back the synth-skin, to Hux's eternal discontent. "You never answered my question."

"I think I'm supposed to be 24," he grumbled. "I didn't think you would be this young."

Kylo Ren shrugged as he pieced the internal circuitry of the arm back together. "That doesn't mean that you should underestimate me. Keep that in mind."

Hux grimaced. "Oh, don't worry, Lord Ren, that is not an issue."

If he expected a response, he didn't get one. Ren took his time in repairing the damage, only pausing to look up into Hux's eyes. After a long while, and of course after replacing the pasty white synth-skin, he quietly told him to go.

The general just left him there, and said a soft beep to LR-5 as he walked out the door. He could almost feel Ren's eyes on him as he left. Listening closely, he heard the knight mutter to LR-5, "What do you think of him, hm?"

Hux rolled his eyes, hoping that this partnership didn't roll on for any longer than needed. He'd sooner melt in the lava of Mustafar than co-command with Kylo Ren.


	2. Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think I saw you in an ice cream parlour, drinking milkshakes cold and long. Smiling and waving, and looking so fine... I don't think you knew you were in my song.   
>  -Five Years, David Bowie

"General Hux, Kylo Ren has killed three troopers!"  
"General, Kylo Ren has destroyed the controls desk in sector 12-15!"  
"L-Lord Ren has requested your presence at his behest, s-s-sir."  
General Hux was not having a good day. Kylo Ren was running rampant on his ship, destroying anything in his line of sight, and now he demanded to see him. Well, Hux wasn't falling for it, and he wasn't going to let Ren play his game. He would deal with it when he saw fit, and that was just not right now. Right now was a time for filing all kinds of beautiful damage reports. He tried to think of a way to replace the manpower lost to this childish man, and the consoles. Sickness? Ageing software? He didn't know how to explain this to Leader Snoke.  
He groaned, running his fingers through his hair. He didn't have time for this. It had been two weeks since Ren moved from whatever Force forsaken planet he had dwelled before to the Finalizer, and the filing had been insane. Everywhere Ren went, with a flurry of his kriffing cape, he left a trail of paperwork behind him. Hux, unfortunately, was the one who had to file all this in, and at least make an attempt to hide it from the man's master.  
How he wished he could shut off. The general wanted to do anything other than this, maybe allow his battery to recharge. Thinking on it, he was actually running on reserves, and had been for the past three days. He just didn't have time to charge; Ren seemed to be making sure of it.   
General Hux rested his head upon his desk, turning the datapad off. Maybe... Perhaps... It had to be at least possible that he could sleep like a human. He had to be able; he had to try. Hux made a sighing sound as he shut his eyes, tried to relax...   
But to no avail. The First Order's mainframe screamed into his head and it was impossible not to concentrate on everything going on- letting go just wasn't an option. After sitting awkwardly like that for ten minutes, he reasoned that Living Things generally slept in beds. "Great," he grumbled as he shifted over to his bed.   
It was surprisingly comfortable, he decided, laying on his side as he'd seen in so many holotapes before. Clearing his mind, he turned out the lights and just when he achieved something ever-so-close to REM...  
Somebody was banging on his door, and he swore by the Force he would strangle them. He hoped that if he ignored them they would go away, but clearly that wasn't going to happen. He screamed into his pillow. The assailant wasn't stopping, but still Hux ignored it.  
There was a soft "vwoom" and a crash as the door clanged to the ground. General Hux jumped and spun in the direction of the commotion just to see the one man he had been dreading.  
"Kylo Ren, what do you think you are doing?!" the general hissed, glaring at him. Ren seemed bemused at this as he dragged him up off of the bed. "REN!"   
Ren sat down and looked up at him. "General," he said quietly. "I have been looking for you."  
"As I am all too aware, Ren." He kept his eyes cold as he stared at him, mentally considering at least twenty ways to kill him with his bare hands. Kylo Ren took his helmet off, his expression dismissive. "Oh, I truly am priveliged to see your handsome face again, my dear Lord Ren. Tell me, am I the only one that you allow to know of your identity?"  
In truth, Hux couldn't be more right. Kylo hadn't let anybody but Snoke see his features in years, and Hux was the only person on the whole ship who could ever be allowed to see him in this... State. Kylo hated his face; his nose was too big and too long and his ears were truly insufferable, and he hated his moles, too. Supreme Leader Snoke found this irrelevant. The helmet struck fear into his enemies, gave him power. But to Kylo, General Hux was just a droid. They had no useful opinions, and as such, it didn't matter if Hux saw what he wouldn't let anyone else.  
Ren didn't divulge this. "Your troops are incompetent."  
"Oh, save it," Hux snapped. "I have heard nothing other than than this rambling for the past three days, how dare you insult my troops?! What do you know of commanding an army? You are a fool!" He buried his face in his hands, growling softly. Ren watched him curiously, looking away when Hux looked back up.  
"What is wrong with you?" Ren asked. His voice was soft as it usually was, but it did not show a single hint of concern. Hux knew this.  
He sighed. "I am tired, Ren. I am running on reserves and I am at risk of shutting down on the bridge. You do not allow me any time to myself; I am always busy doing something or another because of you. I'm so... Drained..." He lay down again, looking up at the ceiling. Ren stood up again and loomed over him.   
"Get up."  
Hux reasoned he had no choice but to do so. He couldn't sleep, after all.  
"Now, tell me what is wrong."  
He rolled his eyes. He saw what Kylo Ren was doing. "I apologise. My battery is near depleted and my systems are failing."  
Never before had Hux felt so low. Like scum, like he was less than a man. Just a droid. He came closer to Ren, stood right on the tips of his toes. He moved even closer, a gloved hand holding his shoulder as his lips came close to his ear. Then Hux whispered to him. "Careful, Ren," he said softly, quietly, and he could feel Ren shiver. Hux didn't need to breath, but he noticed a slight hitch when Ren did. "I am not a man that you should cross. You would do well to remember that."   
He lingered there for another moment, then rested his head against Ren's shoulder for a second before he was pushed away. Hux shook his head, and smiled at Ren. "Was there anything else you needed?"  
Ren shook his head. Hux blinked, data flashing in his eyes. "Power failure," he said softly, before he became impossibly still.   
Kylo frowned, waving his hand in front of his face. Hux didn't respond. There was a smile on his lips like Kylo had never seen before, and it unnerved him. Hux... Hux was a droid. A droid, that was all. Kylo shivered as he touched him, the soft leather on synth-skin. He was so eery like this, unaware, dead green eyes staring back at him.   
The general was so lifelike that it took all of Kylo's strength to remember that he was not, in fact alive. Not a person, not human. He didn't want to fall for the trap. Hux was just a test from Master Snoke, that was all. But he was just so finely made that it was so hard not to believe.  
Kylo hurriedly pulled off a glove and gently closed his eyes, Hux's soft lashes dusting against his cheeks. He took note of how he stood bolt upright, how he held his hands clasped behind his back. It was so human, but it couldn't be. He sighed. General Hux had shut down.   
One hand resting on the small of Hux's back, the other holding the backs of his knees, Kylo lifted him up. He was so light, so narrowly built, that the raven-haired man feared he would break him if he clasped too hard. After all, Kylo would have to fix him. That's what he told himself, and that's what let him sleep every few nights.  
Hux creeped him out, but he would never admit that. Not on his life. But now, he was just so delicate that holding him in his arms made him feel sick. Kylo lay him down on his bed, on his side like he had been when he had stormed in. He scoffed. Hux seemed beautiful and peaceful. All of the things that Kylo despised.  
His eyes flickered to the door. It would need to be repaired.... He'd put a note in. But until then, he'd keep watch over Hux, like Snoke told him to.  
No, he wouldn't.  
That order was ridiculous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a warning, the next chapter is not as long as I want it to be. Sorry in advance!!!


	3. Peaceful Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't blame you for being you but you can't blame me for hating you.   
> -A Little Less Sixteen Candles A Little More "Touch Me", Fall Out Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to upload this before I wrote chapter five but hey this is a peace offering because my laptop broke and it was saved in an rtf file so I had to find something that would open it. Here you go! One more chapter and we come to the main plot!!

The life of Kylo Ren was pretty much a mess. He'd just finished training with Master Snoke (although he said that there was more to come) and he was on board this useless ship to nowhere. He had nothing to do all day but get annoyed by literally everyone. Due to his famous bad temper, when people annoyed him, he broke things. And due to its programming, every time Kylo broke something, the droid would give him hell.   
It wasn't the droid's fault, he tried to tell himself. It's just how he- it was designed to be, and it certainly was designed well. He hated it. He could barely think with it around, his head filling with useless antagonisms that got nobody anywhere but into an argument.  
The droid loved an argument.  
Kylo could see in its eyes how giddy with excitement it was to have the opportunity to put people down, to tear their pithy excuses to shreds and humiliate them. He'd heard tales of the great General Hux make even the most senior of officers break down and sob with only a few soft-spoken words, choice and precise. Kylo could admire the droid for that. That was the only thing he'd allow himself to admire him for.  
Hux was interesting. Even his Force signature was a wonder. Kylo had never understood how an inanimate object could be sensitive to the Force, and he was pretty sure midichlorians didn't exist in metal and latex and synth-skin. But Hux burned in his mind, making him ever aware of him. It made sense, Snoke had of course created him through the raw power of the Force.   
After seeing it so peaceful in such a deathly state, Kylo's mind wandered. He hadn't slept in days- it was his custom to simply meditate instead of resting in a bed. The Force was what made him strong, not sleep. It had been a week, so long that he was beginning to forget how it felt to be well rested, and he lay down in his bed, shutting his eyes, hoping to simply slip away.  
He had always found it hard to sleep, but now it was worse in this vaccuum. Outer space was undeniably beautiful, but it was so empty. The knight of Ren could relate to this. Sometimes he wondered what life would be like if he had stayed as Ben Solo, but those thoughts always left him reeling and shuddering, almost vomiting with even the thought of his past life.  
Sleep didn't come to him this night, either.He thought and thought about everything, but nothing seemed to make any sense to him. He knew why he was there, he had to protect the droid from harm. But it just didn't seem fitting for a Force user like him. It had to be a waste of his talent.  
There wasn't much to say about Kylo Ren. He felt so young these days. After all, he had only been this name for so long, maybe four or five years now. He rummaged around under his pillow and found a bottle. He wasn't really the drinking type but right now he felt like getting so drunk that he wouldn't be able to find his arse with two hands and a map. He opened the bottle.  
There was a short bleep at the door not long later and Kylo signalled for them to go in. Of course some idiot would interrupt him. All he needed was a drink, that was all, but he couldn't be allowed, could he? The droid stepped into the room about as gingerly as its hair, looking irritated as usual. "Ren, you didn't submit your report like I asked. The Supreme Leader will be angered by this."   
Kylo rolled his eyes, standing up and strolling around the spacious room to his box of ashes, taking some in his fist and letting them sift through, gazing intently at it as if he thought it would jump at him, or turn into some sort of ghost to haunt or bewitch him. He turned to Hux. "Why don't you sit down and have a drink, hm?"  
Hux was taken aback by this request as Kylo shoved the open bottle into its face. "Could I do that?" It took the bottle and stared at it for a long while. Kylo rolled his eyes again.  
"Sure. Go ahead."  
Hux looked up at Kylo, then at the alcohol. It didn't say anything for a few seconds before lifting the bottle (wine, perhaps?) and almost taking a sip before Kylo's eyes widened in alarm and he lunged at it, knocking the wine out of its hands before it could touch its lips. The red liquid spilled all over the floor, Hux's uniform and Kylo's tunic.  
"You imbecile!" Kylo hissed, raising his voice. "Don't you understand the meaning of sarcasm?!" He flinched away from it as if the droid were toxic, and for all he knew, Hux might well be as caustic as its words. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out.  
Hux resembled a kicked dog in its shock and disappointment. Kylo couldn't exactly pinpoint the emotion that he felt when he saw it: not sympathy but perhaps something similar? Whatever it was, he quickly chose to ignore it. The droid spoke quietly before standing. "File your report," it said softly and left the room. Ren watched it go.


	4. The Man in the High Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is wrong with Hux.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for another bad poem? One more off-key anthem, let your teeth sink in; remember me as I was not as I am. I said, "I'll check in tomorrow if I don't wake up dead," I kept wishing she had blonde ambition and she'd let it go to my head.   
> I'm about to make your sweat roll backwards and your heart beat in reverse. Our guts can't be reworked as alone as a little white church in the middle of the desert getting burned. But I'll take your heart served up two ways; I sing a better song, I'm the lonelier version of you, I just don't know where it went wrong.  
>  -Rat a Tat, Fall Out Boy feat. Courtney Love  
> (ALSO TO ACATONE'S FRIEND I LOVE YOU SO MUCH)

Phasma could wait all day if it came to it. Hux was uncharacteristically late, so late to even overshadow Kylo Ren, who was already seeming annoyed at this, but the captain was skilled in waiting. It had only been an hour, but Kylo Ren wanted to hunt him down and drag him out by the ear. Captain Phasma of the First Order would not allow this, not on her life.  
Phasma disliked Ren, disliked how he would treat her troops as expendable. But he was an ally, and she didn't know him well enough as a person to distrust him. The knights of Ren were mercenaries; a means to an end. They worked well, and if her leader thought this man was valuable, then he quite clearly was. She didn't question Snoke's judgement.   
However, General Hux was a man she had grown to like in the past year. He never made mistakes, he was good to work with, and when he was off-duty, he had a good sense of humour. This was the first time Phasma had ever known him to be this late, and so she would let it slide. There had to be a reason, after all.  
"Stop fidgeting, Lord Ren," she sighed in a bored tone. She was probably the only woman of her rank who wasn't afraid of him. Probably the only woman on this whole ship. But to Phasma, Kylo Ren wasn't all that scary. Especially as he did what she told him to. Ren stopped fidgeting and sat slouching in his chair.   
Hux finally walked in to the room, and Phasma stood and saluted him, a slight smile on her face that was hidden by her chromium helmet. Ren stayed slouching. "Ren, sit up," Hux hissed at him. Ren stayed slouching.  
"Why were you late, General?" Asked Ren, and Phasma nodded slightly, almost glad that this idiot had asked what she was reluctant to herself.   
Hux shook his head and sighed. "It was unavoidable, and I apologise."  
Ren straightened up immediately. Phasma narrowed her eyes, suspicious now. Did Lord Ren have anything to do with this? She knew how well they disdained each other, and it wouldn't be out of character for Ren to destroy something that the general so desperately needed. The way Hux held himself was strange, too, as if he were injured, and Ren seemed acutely aware of this. Perhaps he was just showing a rare display of concern. She left it at that.  
"I've called this meeting with you for one reason only; Starkiller Base." Hux said stoutly. "It has been ready for the past standard year. Why are we not standing there, instead of here?"  
Ren remained coolly silent, looking to Phasma for an answer. "We follow your orders, " she quipped smoothly. Hux nodded. "We have not been ordered by you to be on Starkiller Base."  
"Good," General Hux all but purred. "I think it's time to transfer to the superweapon and show this loathsome Resistance what we're made of. Nothing will stand in our way of conquest, not with the best weapon in the galaxy on our side."  
"General, if I may?"  
Hux nodded, and Phasma spoke her thoughts. "The stormtrooper program is in the midst of a reshuffle. It wouldn't be wise to bring the troops onto the base at this present time. I think, if we wait, perhaps, three years, we will have tripled our numbers. It is best to lay low at the moment, perhaps use espionage to find out what the Resistance is doing."  
The general considered this. "I agree. Thank you, Captain Phasma. Do you have anything else to add, Ren?"  
Ren, who seemed to have been staring at Hux this whole time (however, Phasma had reasoned, with that helmet on, he could be looking anywhere) shook his head. "What could I possibly have to offer?"  
"Something acceptably pathetic and self-pitying," Hux bit back. Then he frowned. "I'll consider espionage, Captain. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've been called elsewhere...."  
Although Hux hadn't checked his datapad the whole time, he left them without a word. Phasma was confused at best, watching him clumsily stand and leave the room.   
She saw him on the bridge not long later, regal and commanding.  
She saw him again after that, cornered by a man dressed in pitch black robes not too dissimilar from what Kylo Ren would wear, but there was no helmet to be seen. All Phasma could make out from the distance was black hair, and she sighed. If Ren was threatening Hux, she was sure that he could handle himself. And if anything else was going on, she wanted no part in it, didn't want to disrupt the general and a man so dangerous. After all, it wasn't her business.   
Captain Phasma commanded the small group of FN troops to turn around and forget anything they might have seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GET READY FOR SOME SUFFERING SOON


	5. White as Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know your world's a broken bone but melt your headaches call it home. 
> 
> -Northern Downpour, Panic! at the Disco

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, sorry for not updating. I haven't managed to write anything more for this so here's another "sorry" chapter that I didn't want to post until I'd written two chapters ahead but look here we are. Now I have no chapters unposted.

Kylo was... concerned, to say the least. Hux was in pain, and he wasn't hiding it all too well. He was reading Phasma like a book; and she could see it too. He could barely focus during whatever the heck Hux had been saying, and that bothered him.

 

He shouldn't be concerned for the wellbeing of a droid. He wasn't, he told himself. 

 

As soon as Hux left the room, Phasma followed him. Kylo stayed put, trying to think of what the general could possibly be harmed by. And then he remembered that nowadays even the most gentle of nudges could break something due to Kylo's shaky circuit work. Sighing, he walked to his quarters, choking any trooper to come into his path.

 

The door was locked when he got there, like it was every time he checked. He tapped in his code, but it said it was denied. Funny, he thought. Must have tapped it in wrong. He tried a few more times before eventually putting in the override code. It opened then, and LR-5 happily chirped at the return of its master, playing a short but pleasant tune before falling silent. Kylo pulled off his helmet and went onto his datapad, furiously typing things in. Parts he needed, things Hux wanted, software updates, firmware…

Hux needed a new speaker. His voice was beginning to croak as if he had a cough, and as such he couldn't deliver speeches. He wanted a different shade of red hair, and new optics. Kylo paused. When had he started to refer to Hux as “he”? If only the general wasn't so damn likeable, perhaps he would manage to get things right. But as it was, Kylo was almost beginning to think of Hux as a friend or something at least similar. 

He hummed the Imperial March as he worked, his anxieties preying on his mind while he ordered equipment and parts, typing in details and everything else. It was all a blur when eventually he had nothing else to do. 

He had taken two hours. 

And now he had no excuse not to chase Hux about what was bothering him. He knew where Hux would be- they had identical trackers which they had to wear- and Kylo began stalking towards the bridge with an apprehensive bleep from LR-5. 

It turned out Ren had been wrong; Hux wasn't where he expected him to be. When he'd found him, Hux had been walking down a corridor, almost haggardly limping. Kylo made sure nobody was watching as he pinned him against the wall, earning a noise of agony and a look of disapproval as those pale green eyes stared back at him. 

“What's wrong?” Ren hissed. Hux scowled.

“Nothing,” he practically spat in contempt. Ren gave him a pointed look and Hux rolled his eyes. “Fine. I think I accidentally downloaded a virus and it's slowly spreading through my files and eating me alive. It hurts a lot and I'm going to shut down and run diagnostics soon.”

Ren's eyes widened. “You idiot,” he snarled, then turned his attention to the presence of a group of stormtroopers and their captain. “Phasma,” he mumbled. “She's watching us; leaving. She wants nothing to do with us.”

Hux didn't seem to be paying attention to him, staring at him with glassy eyes. “General?” He asked nervously. Hux raised a hand and cupped Kylo's face, not unlike when they'd first met. He smiled, his freckles suddenly strikingly obvious against the pale synth-skin. He wrapped the other arm around his neck, then slumped. Kylo only just caught him. 

Hux was heavy, heavier than he looked, so the knight of Ren almost struggled to haul him back to his room without being seen. Ren scowled as he lay Hux down in a chair, opening up access ports on his wrist, connecting it up to his datapad. The control screen flashed up with a message: 

Goodbye. 

Kylo frowned. Was this a message from the virus? “Goodbye” wasn't a very demanding message like a ransom note or anything, but when he zoomed in to an almost microscopic level, he saw an image in the text. It was himself, staring into Hux's eyes as he applied replacement synth-skin to repair the damage done by his lightsaber being a little too close to the general’s face. This was… Months ago. 

When he zoomed in even more, he saw Hux's reflection in his own eyes. It was blurry by that point, but he could see that neutral, uncaring expression, half melted off by the heat. He almost felt bad. Almost, he told himself. Kylo was confused at this. It was almost definitely from Hux- it was from his cameras after all. He tapped a few things and watched the footage. 

Seeing the world from someone else's eyes is strange to say the least. He saw himself push Hux against the wall… Kylo kept rewinding. As soon as he found the droid lying down, he paused. 

The screen turned black after a while, and Kylo soon realised that Hux was asleep. Asleep! He thought. He can sleep. A notification appeared in Hux's view, too real to be a dream. It had to be the virus Hux had mentioned, and it was downloading into his software. Kylo almost dropped his datapad in his haste as he opened Hux's files. A few had random letters and numbers as their titles, whereas the rest had neatly typed names and capital letters and full stops. “Information pertaining to the Leia Organa and the Resistance” was one of them. He opened that one, all of a sudden curious. It held several files, such as “Spacecrafts”, “Important individuals” and one that seemed entirely out of place: “Ben Organa-Solo”.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so afraid of what you have to say, because I am quiet now, and silence gives you space.
> 
> -Fake You Out, twenty one pilots


End file.
